Sanjay Kumar Jha, Minister of Information and Public Relations cum Water Resources in the Government of Bihar, has said on Thursday that the Gandak-Ganga river link scheme, which will be started on the instructions of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, will prove to be a boon for Gopalganj, Siwan and Saran districts. In this scheme, a total of 170 km long link channel will be constructed starting from Gandak river near Heerapakad in Gopalganj district to Ganga river near Haispur in Saran district.
Feedback taken from local people
Regarding this, Minister Sanjay Kumar Jha went to Hirapakad in Gopalganj and inspected the origin of the link channel. Along with taking feedback from the local people, necessary instructions were given to the officials. Residents of blocks like Gopalganj, Manjha, Barauli in Gopalganj district, Badhariya, Goriyakothi, Maharajganj, Daronda and Dighwara, Sonpur, Khaira, Nagra, Baniyapur, Madhaura etc. in Saran district will be benefitted by this river linking scheme. This will also prove to be an important scheme in terms of improvement in ground water level and environmental balance in the area.
Expressed concern over rain in Nepal
The minister said that the government is more concerned about the rains in Nepal than in Bihar because there is no high dam in Nepal. Until the high dam is built, the water in the rivers of Bihar cannot be controlled. Accusing the Central Government, the Water Resources Minister said that the work of building a dam in Nepal was about to start many years ago, but the DPR has not been prepared yet, for which the Government of India has to talk. He said that the Prime Minister of Nepal also went through India, but he did not know whether the Government of India talked about this issue or not. If the Water Resources Minister is to be believed, then if a high dam is built in Nepal, major areas of Kosi, Kamla, Bagmati, Gandak rivers in Bihar will become flood-free.
The number of canals coming out of Valmikinagar barrage will increase
Irrigation capacity will be increased by increasing the number of canals coming out of Valmikinagar barrage of Gandak river in West Champaran. The Water Resources Department will prepare a plan after assessing it. Its purpose is to make maximum use of Gandak river water for irrigation. Along with this, there will be protection from the floods that come every year in the Gandak river. In this regard, Water Resources Minister Sanjay Kumar Jha has instructed officers and engineers to conduct an assessment. At present, there is irrigation potential in about 11.50 lakh hectare in seven districts of Bihar through the canals coming out of this barrage.
Government alert after bridge collapse in Bihar, now 50 year old barrage and dam will have structural and mechanical audit
Maximum discharge capacity of Valmikinagar barrage is 8.50 lakh cusecs.
The maximum discharge capacity of Valmikinagar Barrage is about 8.50 lakh cusecs. The maximum discharge from this barrage till date was about six lakh 19 thousand 750 cusecs on July 31, 2003. This barrage was constructed in 1967-68. Its length is about 739 meters. Half of it is in Nepal. It has 52 gates, 18 real ways, 12 under sluices, 8 river sluices, 18 head regulator gates.
